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Just a shivery little whippet.

 

Just a little tale about drive/heart, whatever you want to call it.

 

I aquired some new land to do pest control when Boo was still a youngster 4 seasons ago, it is a mix of manicured lawns, large flower beds, sheep fields and a rough game bird field.

Plus i had the farm here and various other places, and of course Woodga always made us more than welcome on his land.

Boo's first season he was a little star, his behaviour when out lamping has always been perfect, he is straight back to me, has never hunted up a day in his life, even as a youngster. He retrieved very well and for the most part i very rarely use a slip with him, he listens and responds well to hushed commands.

His first season as a youngster he was out of this world, loving the work, no problems whatsoever, we made great headway clearing the new permission of those pesky rabbits spoiling the lawns and flower beds.

His second season he started out just as he has finished the first, brilliant little dog, i was more than happy, then half way through it he started to pick and choose his runs, especially in fields he was used to running. The rough game bird field was the worst.

If the rabbit made for certain fences he would pull up way before he got to them, knowing they would be through it and into the woods. Then he even stopped running them altogether, i would spot the rabbit in the beam, hisss him on and he would just stand there watching them made no attempt to even move, they were long slips and probably impossible to catch, but i was used to the bull x do or die dogs, who could get lucky now and then in such circumstances. The rabbit numbers were already starting to get low, and those that were left this far into the season were savvy to the lamp, so these kind of slips were the norm by then.

I wrote my concerns on a different hunting forum at the time, views ranged from him being a jacker, to a thinker, to me giving him too much too young, i was gutted to say the least, as i said i had never had a dog do this before and really did not want it to happen, no matter how intelligent he was!

His second season he started the same, picking and choosing his runs, although he did pick up by the end of it, but then again it was more on land he was not used to. I made up my mind i had a thinking dog i had spoiled by giving him too many unobtainable runs, too early in his training.

The 3rd season was a bit of a washout, due to the snow and one thing or another, and to be honest i was concentrating more on Rudie at this time with him being a youngster and needing to learn.

 

At the start of this season i went to see the bone man, Boo has a very slight niggling injury, it would go away after rest and then come back again. The bone man had to click every toe back into place, and if memory serves me right, his back was out in 3 places and his neck in 2, the niggling injury was a damaged ligament, but thank god for it, because had it not been for that i probably would not have gone to the bone man and would not now have the 'new' dog i have.

At some point he must have swapped Boo for an identical replacement :laugh:

I can honestly say Boo is now surpassing the bullies for drive and determination, it is not unusual for a double sommersault when he strikes, and the little monkey is even pulling on the slip when i'm out in company, something he never did :D

 

The reason i am writing this tonight.....

I decided to have a quick look out local, as it is another perfect lamping night. To cut an already long story short, i ended up in the rough field, the field Boo would pick his runs, and back to the very spot he constantly refused to run. Two rabbits sat next to the fence line, next to the woods. I have to lamp from about 100yrds away uphill, so Boo has to run downhill. I lamped and off he went with no hesitation, i was over the moon he was running but the rabbit was already ambling towards the fence, and i presumed he would lessen his pace knowing it would disapear into the woods, but bugga me he kept on going :toast: the rabbit panicked and run along the fence line into some stacked fallen branches. Boo did not hesitate to put on even more pressure and the rabbit shot back out, up the fence line a bit more, at this point they were out of sight behind a small hill, i kept the lamp on and back they came, again the rabbit went into the branches, again it came back out, at this point i am not sure what happened but it looked like Boo had gone under the fence, then back out again and caught the rabbit good style as it tried to get back through.

 

You know what, this little rabbit has given me even more joy than the first ever one he caught :yes: And i have no doubt he will do it again and again now.

 

It just goes to show, not all jackers ............Are jackers :D

 

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Just a shivery little whippet.   Just a little tale about drive/heart, whatever you want to call it.   I aquired some new land to do pest control when Boo was still a youngster 4 seasons ago, it i

Great read Moll.   Something I've found is that dogs which somersault/rugby tackle their prey, are always at more risk of 'putting something out' in their backs and necks. I'll try and get a photo o

good write up enjoyed it some dogs that are sold as jackers just need a bit of time off n they are right agen well thanks mate enjoyed it

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Great read Moll.

 

Something I've found is that dogs which somersault/rugby tackle their prey, are always at more risk of 'putting something out' in their backs and necks. I'll try and get a photo of a stretching technique that anyone can do at home which can help align the vertebrae and ease tight muscles along the back. I do it every time after some dogs have been out: the hedge buster, throw themselves at anything type of dogs.

 

So glad Boo has regained his mojo!

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